1. Risk and Resilience: Drug Use Among Refugee Households
BACKGROUND
Afghan Refugees
are the 2nd largest
and
the most longstanding
refugee population
worldwide.
HYPOTHESES
H1: Substance use (use of at least one type of illicit drug) among Afghan refugees is higher than the global rate.
H2: Substance use is correlated with legal status, dwelling type, years of residency, gender, education, employment, and income.
Afghanistan
Trauma Substance Use
Iran Pakistan
Conflict Disease Torture
Starvation War Loss
70%
Afghanistan supplies 70% of the world’s opium
Risk and Resilience: Drug Use Among Refugee Households
The Case of Afghan Refugees in Iran
*Mitra Ahmadinejad-Naseh, M.S. * Eric F. Wagner, Ph.D. *Miriam Potocky, Ph.D. | School of Social Work, Florida International University
2,035
Gender Dwelling type Education
METHODS
households were interviewed in
5 provinces in Iran
RESULTS
Self reported incidence of substance use
Substance use (6.6%)> Average global rate (5%);
Findings on gender, dwelling type, and education are in line with the findings of previous studies (Clarke, Clarke, Roe-Sepowitz, & Fey, 2012; Horyniak, Melo, Farrell, Ojeda, & Strathdee, 2016; Lowinson, 2005; );
Nearly half of the households lived below the income poverty line (46.24%) and the majority had low income;
The majority of the surveyed households (85%) lived in Iran for more than 10 years;
The majority of the surveyed adult Afghan refugees (82%) had a job. B
S.E
Wald df
Sig.
Exp (B)
Legal status
Dwelling type
Residency year
Gender
Education
Employment
Income
Constant
-.085
-.378
.087
.851
-.355
-.067
.000
-4.227
.349
.115
.015
.392
.105
.100
.777
.059
10.838
35.756
4.721
11.400
.445
.018
29.589 1
.808
.001
.030
.505
.893
.919
.685
1.091
2.343
.701
.935
1.000
6.6%
Global rate is 5% (UNODC, 2016)
A Path Travel Award, received from the Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work at Florida International University, supported the first author’s conference participation.